- Date Of Birth: May 19, 1945
- Date Of Death: July 3, 2017
- State: Michigan
Sandra Kay Seifferlein, age 72, of Dowagiac, wife, mother, grandmother, giver and servant to all others before herself, died peacefully, Monday, July 3, 2017. Anyone who knew Sandy would not be surprised to know that as she went to her eternal rest, she was surrounded by family and was listening as they laughed and told stories.
She was born May 19, 1945 in Pontiac, Michigan the oldest daughter of Ernest and Elizabeth Morris. She was raised on a farm in Novi, Michigan with seven siblings. At Tollgate Farms, she had early practice raising children – helping her mother feed, clothe and manage the rambunctiousness of siblings. On June 28, 1969 she joined with David William Norman Seifferlein in marriage at Saint Matthew Lutheran Church in Walled Lake, Michigan and began a forty eight year journey that would take them through the heaps of laundry, shoes and skinned knees of seven filthy children, and it was “fine.”
The yellow house up on the hill, across from Kincheloe Elementary School in Dowagiac, Michigan was built for Sandy and Dave in 1976. It remains the site of epic sledding escapades, adventures in the woods behind the school and cramming and slamming far too many people into far too small a space. If you had the pleasure of meeting Sandy, she may have remained reserved during your encounter, but a number of things would be sure to follow – you’d hear about her family and her family would hear about you. You’d find Sandy to be a person who cared deeply about your wellbeing: Was life treating you okay? Did you need work done? Was someone helping you? If not, Sandy would “get up and get moving” to make sure things got wiped down, people were okay and someone was watching the kids. Every decision Sandy made was about family. She passed on to them her strong morals and work ethic.
She enjoyed gardening, canning and cooking for large groups of people. Her family says that her Thanksgiving turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, properly made sweet potatoes, potato yeast rolls and desserts will be missed. Sandy will live on through family and friends.
She is survived by her husband, David Seifferlein; four daughters, Melissa (Drew) Flint, Kristen (Greg) Olsen, Katrina (Jon) Koudelka, Melonie (Brent) Swisher; three sons, Brian (Emily) Seifferlein, Brent Seifferlein, Brad Seifferlein; twelve grandchildren, Benjamin, Ryan, Emma, and Elisabeth Flint; Colette, Mary, Julia, Matthew, William and Jessica Koudelka; Joseph and Charlie Seifferlein; two sisters, Marsha Morris, Debbie (John) Schumacher; four brothers, Reggie (Sherrie) Morris, Larry Morris, Alan Morris, David (Kathy) Morris; one brother in law, Mark Billings; and a host of nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents and one sister, Kathy Billings.
